You could try it, but I wouldn't recommend it. Yes, you could
try to climb an icy mountain in the dark without a map, a light, or any
specialized equipment, but I wouldn't recommend it. The likelihood of
success is low; the likelihood of a painful ending is high. In the same way,
I would not recommend that you try to navigate the process of achieving
postgraduate pharmacy training without significant assistance. The process
is too complicated and the stakes are too high to just blindly go forth.
Fortunately, help has arrived! Roadmap to Postgraduate Training in
Pharmacy is a comprehensive text that can help every pharmacy student
successfully embark on their journey toward pursuing postgraduate training.
This is a “must read” for all students considering the trip. The
authors provide an insightful description of the postgraduate training
experience and offer guidance on how to navigate the process from the
decision point to pursue further training to the post-match transition from
student to resident.
As a residency program
director, I have the privilege of interacting with many wonderful students
each year who desire to pursue postgraduate training. Some candidates are
truly impressive. They know where they are going, why they are going there,
and how to conduct themselves along the way. Others … not so much!
Unfortunately, each year our selection committee interacts with unprepared
students and reads through less than impressive application packets, and we
lament, “Didn't this person get any help?” In recent years,
the residency selection process has become very competitive. At my
institution, we currently have a ratio of over 40 applicants for every PGY-1
residency position. How do you position yourself to be the “1”
who is selected rather than the other “39”? Follow the advice in
this book! It is written by knowledgeable authors who stem from a variety of
institutions and practice sites throughout the country. Most have extensive
experience on both sides of the table—they have invested time mentoring
students to be strong residency candidates and they have been involved in selecting
candidates for residency programs. They know what it takes to do well.
Constructive reviews of all content from current fourth-year residency-bound
students and pharmacy residents helped to mold this valuable resource.
I hope that two things become apparent to you as you read
this book. First, I hope you realize how much all of the authors want you to
be successful as you consider this next stage of your training. That was the
impetus behind the book. Second, I hope you realize that we think this
journey is worth pursuing. It is a very exciting time to be a pharmacist.
The opportunity for pharmacists to make a difference in patients' lives
has never been greater. However, to provide the level of care that our
patients and other healthcare providers require, pharmacists must be as well
trained as possible. Postgraduate training is the most efficient way of
obtaining the necessary quality training your future patients deserve. Yes,
you may have to reduce your earning potential for a year or two, but the
rewards will last throughout the rest of your career.
So what are you waiting for? There is an exciting path set before you, and
thanks to this text, you now have guide to help you along the way. So, read
the book and start the journey. It's an adventure you won't want
to miss.
—James R. Beardsley, PharmD,
BCPS